The Kennedy Cup competition
historically is the breeding ground for all future Irish under-age and senior
International players. Thirty-two leagues have
entered this year's tournament and we look forward to a wonderful week of
football.
The players from this Tournament as in other "Kennedy Cups" in the past will
form the underage Representative and International squads of
the future. The SFAI has been running this competition for over 3 decades and
the Kennedy Cup is the only competition in any European country where all
leagues come together to participate in a National Competition on an annual
basis.
This National Schoolboy
competition has produced many of our National team players at various levels
including our World Cup squad and the very best of Irish grass roots schoolboy
soccer will be on view throughout the week.
Once again the magnificent UL
complex will host the weeks action where seven pitches will be in use throughout
and there are plenty other amenities on site to keep all happy.
This competition commemorates
the tireless work of Jim Kennedy at schoolboy level down through the years with
the inception of a National trophy under his name, an honour which is rarely
bestowed during a person's lifetime. Jim Kennedy symbolises the positive nature
of schoolboy football.
Although the DDSL have
dominated this prestigious competition, the year 2000 will always be remembered
as the year teams outside the capital dominated with Limerick & District winning
the competition outright, Galway winning the Plate, Clare winning the Bowl &
Carlow winning the shield.
Roy Keane captained Cork to
success in 1984 and since then Damien Duff & Ian Harte were part of other DDSL
squads. John O'Shea of Manchester United was part of the Waterford squad in 1995.
